Headlight shield



.Patented dan. 24, 1926.

p tenen OFFICE. i

LEMUEL E. MCALLISTER, OF QUNCY, ILLINGIS.

HEADLIGHT sninnn.

`Application filed August 26, 19556. Serial No. 131,715.

This invention relates to headlights and more particularly toa reflectorshield.

kOne object of the invention is to provide a shield by means of whichcertain portions of a reflector may be guarded and prevented fromprojecting a blinding light into the eyes of the driverI of anapproaching vehicle.

j Another object of the invention is to so construct the shield that itmay be held in place by the bulb and a portion of the shield pressedVfirmly into engagement with the reflector in order to prevent theshield from moving out of its proper position in the headlight.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shield which willprevent-light rays from being projected upwardly into the eyes of anapproaching pedestrian or vehicle driver and still permit properillumination of the roadway.

Another object of the invention is to make it unnecessary to alter theconstruct-ion of' a conventional headlight in order to lapply the shieldto it.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whichFigure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a headlight of aconventional con struction having one of the improved shields applied toit. and i Fig. 2 "s a perspective view of the improved shield.

The shield constituting the subject-matter of this invention `isintended to be applied to a, conventional form ofheadlight such as shownin Fig. 1 and indicated in general by the numeral 1. The headlightincludesthe usual reflector 2 carrying a socket 3 into which isremovably fit-ted the shank 4 of bulb 5. The usual wires (i lead fromthe socket 3 to a suitable source of current. Under ordinary,conditions, the lower portion of the reflector causes light rays to bedirected upwardly into the eyes of the driver of an approachingautomobile and the eentral portion of the reflector to the rear of andimmediately surrounding` the bulb causes the formation of a bulls eyewhich is projected forwardly a very great distance and is very blinding.ln order to cover the central portion of the reflector and lower portionthereof, l have provided a reflector which is constructed, as shown inFig. 2, and mounted in the headlight, as shown in Fig. 1. The guardplate Y which serves to prevent the projection of light rays by thelower portion of the reflector together with its attaching plate 8 arepreferably formed as aunit and stamped from sheet metal, although othermaterials may be employed if so desired. The side portions of the guardplate are severed from the attaching plate and bent upwardly to formflanges 9 which increase in depth towards their forward ends and attheir forward ends "tire curved so that they merge into the concavedforward edgeV plate and are bent over the peripheraledge of' themounting disk and into firm gripping engagement with its rear face. lnthe present illustration, the attaching plate has been shown Vtriangularin shape and the mounting disk circular. but it will be both could becircular or other shapes if so desired. An opening 13 is formedcentrallyin the attaching plate 8 and'registers with an opening 14e formed in themounting disk. It should be noted that the opening in the attachingplate is larger than the openingin the mounting; disk and that the outerportion of the opening 14 increases in diameter in order to form anannular shoulder 15 for engagement b v the bulb 5. The shoulder 15 ispreferably formed by pressing the material of the disk about the opening11i rearwardly during or after formation of the opening.

When the shield is to be applied, the bulb 5 is removed from its socket3 and its shank passed through the opening 14. The shank of the bulb isthen inserted into its socket 3p and when turned or screwed firmly intoplace the bulb will engage the annular shoulder 15 and force themarginal portions of the mounting disksiinto tight binding' engagementwith the central portion of the reflector. The disk is of sufficientdiameter to cover the central portion of the reflector rearwardly of andimmediately surrounding the bulb and, therefore, that portion of thereflector which causes the formation of a bulls eye will be hidden andrendered inop the shield is appliedV understood that erative. Therefore,the formation of a bright light which normally projects a great distanceahead of an automobile and tends to blind an approaching driver iseliminated. The guard plate projects forwardly beneath and beyond thebulb and aerves to guard the lower portion ol the reflector and preventthis portion o'l the reflector from di renting light rays upwardly intothe eyel o'f an approaching driver but it does not prevent the remainderot the reflector from projecting light raye towards the sides oil theautomobile and downwardlvY in front of it. The roadwan7 mayT therefore,be well lighted at the sides of an automobile and for some distanceahead of it. lf it desired to use the headlighte without the guardeJthe)7 ma7 be very easily and quickly removed or they mi@Y be removedtrom the headlights ol: one automobile and transfered to tl e headlightsof another automobile.

Having thus described the invention, I claim;

l. A reflector shield comprising a mounting disk formed with an openingadapted to receive the shank of a bulb, the opening having its inner'portion of an even diameter and its outer portion flaring towards itsouter end t0 provide with an annular shoulder to be engaged by a bulbhaving ite shank passed through the opening, and a guard plateprojecting from the .lower portion et said mounting and adapted toextend beneath a bulb.

2. A reflector shield comprising a mounting disk formed with an openingto receive the shank of a bulb when mounting the shield in a headlight,said disk being oit sutlioient size to cover the portion of a headlightreflector to the rear nl and immediately aurrounding a bulb, and a guardplate project* ing t'orwardl7 Al'roin the lower pori ion o l' I@aid diskand :nhipted to extend beneath a bulb and project forwardlyY therelirfnnand iinrreaf-1- ii'ig in width towards.: its; iront end and formed witha concartal forward edge the #ide portionn of the guard plate beingproi'ided with upwardlyY extending ide Haugen gradnail),v increaaing indepth from their rear ende4 tounrth` their liirwaril ende.

A reflector Fhield colnprising a mounting dish formed Vwith an openingto receive the ehanl; oit a iadb when nnunuinigj ine :shield in aheadlight, said diek being circular in shape and ol' sullieient diameterto cover the portion ol. a headlight relhwtor to the rear ol' andinnnlaliatelr f-nirrnulnling a bulb7 a guard plate projecting;ifirrwardliv from the lower portion olf Said dich and adapted to extendbeneath a bulb and pro ject forwardly therefrom and increasing in widthtowardn itA liront euch an attaching plate lbrmed integral Awith andprojtaftlng upwardly from the rear end oil :and guard plate, theattaching plate being trian 'uhir in shape and diapoeed against theoutrr lit ol huid disk and provided with an opening regiatering with butol greater diameter than the opening in the lflieln and tonguesprojecting lioln the ein polllone olt rall attaching plattI ami foldedalarma tial orner marginal edge of aid dilt into engagement with theinner lace theref` to accus-ely retain the attaching plate inengnigrnarni with the die-lt.

In teelimonjy whereof l allix` my aignatnre.

LEMUEL E. illorllililflflilt. in. al

